


The Dawn of a New World

by Noellenioxide



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: AU, F/M, Family, Love, M/M, Multi, My First Fanfic, Sexual Content, Violence, what if
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2018-12-05 16:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11582247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noellenioxide/pseuds/Noellenioxide
Summary: (I do not, in any way, own Yona of the Dawn or any of the canon characters used in this story)What would have changed if Yona had been communicating with Hiryuu and the original dragons in her dreams from an early age? How would knowing her true identity influence the outcome of her struggles? How would the Seiryuu change if he had been captured by Yu-hon on the day he tried to use his powers to save the village? Would Jae-Ha still be a beauty obsessed, ladies man if he had never broken free of his village? See how the lives of the Happy Hungry Bunch would differ if everyone had different beginnings.





	1. Training Begins

The young princess rubbed her eyes as she stepped into a very familiar clearing in the woods. She didn’t actually know where she was, but she knew they would come. They always came for her. She picked up a small stick, the piece of wood feeling comfortable in her hands. She swung the stick like a sword, letting it collide with the thick trunks of the nearby foliage. The force of the impact often knocked the child to the ground, her small body not able to stand against much pressure.

She continued that way for what seemed like hours until she felt the stick catch behind her. She turned and let her violet hues fall on the rugged silhouette of Gu-en, the man she had come to know as the original Hakuryuu. His eyes held a very stern expression that would have made most people cower; however, it was that expression that made her smile. She let go of the stick and gave him a toothy grin. “Gu-en, I was trying to be like Abi again. Did I do good?” she asked, eager to be praised. The white dragon’s pale skin began to turn pink with embarrassment. He had never been too comfortable talking with the reincarnation of his master.  
“Of course you are, Princess Yona.”

The young girl turned to find the blue haired man she had been imitating. She ran toward him, arms open. He knelt down just in time for her to barrel into his chest. A warm smile found its way to his lips as he held the small child. “You’re getting better every single time we meet,” he praised. She looked up into the Seiryuu’s golden eyes and smiled. His praises always lifted her spirits.

“I was going to say that!” Gu-en shouted, sending dangerous glares toward Abi. Yona always loved the way they teased each other. It made her see them as a very good family.

They were joined by a green haired man, Shu-ten. He made his way over to them with a proud expression resting on his lips. He hoisted the young princess onto his shoulder and kicked off of the ground. She cheered as the two soared into the sky. The entire kingdom of Kouka was visible beneath them. Yona wrapped her arms around the Ryokuryuu’s neck to keep from falling as she watched the world below them get smaller and smaller.

“So pretty,” Yona cooed, loving the sight. The two landed a few seconds later and Shu-ten put Yona back onto her feet, laughing at how unsteady she was. The young princess didn’t seem to mind being laughed at; she laughed along with him.

Her eyes traveled to edge of the clearing, stopping on the familiar figure of her distant ancestor, King Hiryuu. She ran to him, stumbling around as she stepped on rocks and fallen branches. She was panting heavily by the time she closed the distance between them. She held her arms up and waited patiently. It only took a few seconds for the king to reach down and pull the child into his arms.

“Happy sixth birthday, Princess Yona. Are you ready to start training?” King Hiryuu asked. The three dragons gathered around them, smiles on all of their faces. They knew her future and knew she would need their help to prepare for it.


	2. Young Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a taste of the changed childhoods of our beloved dragon warriors, excluding Zeno because I can't really change him much.

Hakuryuu

 

Blindingly bright light poured in from the white drapes that hung over his window. Blue eyes squinted for a moment, adjusting to the morning sun and taking in his surroundings. He was home, tucked away in his downy bed with satin sheets encasing his body. There was a tray on his bedside table holding a pitcher of water and a plate of assorted fruits, cheeses, and crackers. The smell was enticing. There was no doubt in his mind that they had been placed there only moments before.

Kija sat up, letting the sheet fall from his shoulders into a crumpled heap on his lap. He stretched his arms out to his sides, flexing his muscles. He reached over, using his human hand to snatch up a few grapes. He popped them into his mouth as he swung his legs over the side of his bed. Being a small child, they didn’t quite reach the floor so he had to slide off of the edge and fall a mere two inches to land flat on the wool carpet that covered the majority of his floor. The young dragon dressed himself in his usual robes. The fabric was soft but durable and pure white with blue trim. He was thankful that as of four days prior, he had turned ten and would be treated as an adult instead of a child. Feeding and dressing himself wasn’t a big deal in reality, but to a spoiled child who dreamed of nothing more than to grow up and serve his master, it gave him hope that the day would come sooner.

A knock on the door had the young dragon hurrying to open it. He was greeted by his favorite elder, the woman he had spent the most time with since his birth. He let a warm grin spread over his delicate features as he embraced her.

“Good morning, Granny,” he greeted, turning around and walking back over to his breakfast. He paired a few different cheeses with some crackers and continued to eat, occasionally tossing a blackberry or grape into his mouth.

“Good morning, Lord Hakuryuu,” she responded. 

“Granny, please call me Kija when we are alone. I know what I am, but who I am is important too.”

“Such wise words from such a young man. I’m very proud of you, Kija. Now, finish your meal. Your training begins today.”

 

Seiryuu

 

Bodies littered the field around the small child. His golden eyes seemed to be detached and emotionless, holding no hint of what he might have been feeling. A moment later, he collapsed onto the ground. Mud covered his clothes and a heavy rain poured down on him. His eyes stayed open, watching the village from a horizontal point of view. He tried to get up, but his body would not respond to him. He had finally learned what Ao had been telling him. He had learned that his power really did have a serious consequence. 

“I’m sorry, Ao,” the child whispered, just barely able to force his lips to work. 

The sound of hooves stamping the ground filled his ears. They came from behind so he was not able to see them. He did see villagers cowering in fear, some running back into their homes. Others were hurrying forward. Will I be saved?

“That’s him, General Yu-hon! That’s the beast, the Seiryuu!” A man called, his voice quivering with fear.

Suddenly, the child saw the tip of a sword resting only an inch from his face. His eyes traveled up the length of the sword and to the man wielding. There was no doubt that the man standing above him was a seasoned warrior, and an incredibly scary one at that. A villager hurried over and placed Ao’s old mask over his eyes, along with the fur piece that had been made to keep him warm while he sat alone each winter. Thank you.

Yu-hon knelt in front of the child, his emotions rather mixed up. He had great pride in his heart for capturing a legendary beast that was only supposed to be a legend, but he felt conflicted. It was only a small child after all, no older that eight. 

“Do not try to escape me and I will spare your life, Seiryuu,” Yu-hon told the child.

“O-Okay,” he managed to whisper. He felt his body being lifted and used what tiny bit of strength he had to keep hold of Ao’s sword. He could not part with it. All he had left of the only person to ever care for him were the mask and sword. He had to have them. 

Yu-hon rode with the child for several hours. He pulled his horse into clearing, making camp away from any towns in case the child tried to harm someone. The general dismounted the horse and pulled the child off of the mount as well. He laid the child down only for him to sit up, his paralysis wearing off. He looked around, his eyes scanning the area. There seemed to be no danger.

“You killed those soilders? How?” Yu-hon inquired. He felt he needed a good reason to imprison such a small child.

The young Seiryuu nodded his head once, holding his sword close. He lifted one hand and pointed to where his eyes would be under the mask. “To protect the village like Ao did,” he answered, assuming that the man would want to know why.

“Who is Ao?”

“The old Seiryuu. He took care of me. This is his sword and his mask. They are mine now,” the child said, trying to force back tears, not that the person in front of him could see them through the mask anyway.

“You know, Kid, I’m really not sure what to do with you.”

 

Ryokuryuu

 

Jae-ha yanked at his chains, straining to tear them from the wall. His predecessor had passed, leaving with the full strength of the Ryokuryuu, but even that strength could not tear the shackles that bound him. He kicked and thrashed all day long, his usual routine. He was given his usual meal of stale bread, rotting fruit, and water. His fate had been sealed. Unless the bastard that was meant to lead the four dragons came for him, he would be stuck there. Both fates sounded miserable. The teenage boy was well on his way to giving up his hope of ever having any freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I would like to ask for some feedback here. I know only a few people have ready my first chapter, but I am hoping more do soon. Do you think I should have Shin-ah imprisoned at Hiryuu Castle for his crimes or have him assigned at Yona's personal guard with Hak? I'm currently having a hard time deciding so whichever options gets more votes will take the cake. Also, I know Jae-ha's is short, but my point was to note that he never escaped.


	3. Seiryuu's Punishment

Four days had passed since Yu-hon had taken the child from his village. They traveled by day, covering as much ground as their mount would allow. They camped at night, staying hidden away from any villages or travelers. The Seiryuu never once tried to escape. He had hardly done anything except walk when he was told to walk and talk when he was asked questions. The only time he dared to refuse the general was when he had requested that the child remove the mask. Yu-hon had been kind enough not to ask again.

That evening the two made camp beside a small stream. Yu-hon caught two fish and started a fire as he had the previous nights. The Seiryuu just sat on the ground with his back against a tree. He watched Yu-hon from behind his mask. He admired the general’s strength. He is so smart and strong. He is like Ao.

A sudden weight on the young boy’s shoulder caused him to yell out, fear and nervousness evident in his tone. He turned his head only to find the big, round eyes of a small rodent merely an inch from his mask.

“Pukyuuu!” The creature squeaked, moving closer to him. He whimpered, quieter than his earlier outburst. The squirrel jumped up and onto his head before letting out another squeak.

“Calm down. It’s just a squirrel. It is harmless,’ Yu-hon told the child, his voice laced with laughter.

The squirrel jumped down onto the child’s lap and sat there, refusing to go away no matter how much it was pushed or poked. The child started to find the animal quite funny and was laughing at it, turning the pushing away into a little game. “I’ll call you Ao,” he whispered and picked the animal up. He placed it onto his shoulder then moved to sit closer to the fire.

The more that Yu-hon watched the boy, the worse he felt about having to imprison him. The child seemed innocent and sweet enough. He did not act like a killer. Still, the general was bound by the law; he had no choice. Yu-hon forced his thoughts back to the fish he was about to burn. He pulled them off of the fire by the sticks he had skewered them with. He handed one to the child who ate it happily. His diet had consisted of berries and stale bread ever since Ao had passed away. Any chance to have good food brightened his spirits. The two stayed silent as they ate. Only the sounds of crickets chirping and Ao squeaking filled the air around them. 

When the sun had finally set, Yu-hon tossed a bucket of water onto the fire, putting out the bright flames. He bound the child’s wrists and ankles to assure he would not flee, though the general doubted that would have happened even if he had left him free and able. Yu-hon laid down on the ground and fell asleep.

“Goodnight, Ao,” the Seiryuu whispered before he let sleep take him as well.

 

 

Yu-hon woke with renewed resolve. What to do with the boy had finally come to him in his sleep. “Up and at it, Kid. With any luck we’ll be at Hiryuu Castle by nightfall,” he announced as he untied the ropes that bound the child.

Within minutes, the two set off on Yu-hon’s horse with their newly acquired pet. The days passed by slower than the others had because the general had purposely drawn out the ride so that they would arrive after the majority of the palace had gone to sleep. He rode passed the dungeon and to the very back of the palace grounds where a few brick sheds stood as extra guard barracks should the need ever arise. 

Yu-hon dismounted hos horse, pulling the child along with him. He opened the door to the shed and pulled the child inside. “You are a prisoner of Hiryuu Castle. You will serve out a life sentences for crimes against the kingdom. This building is your cell. You will receive food and water daily. You will be given a weekly bath and medical care if needed. You will be taken care of in case His Majesty ever requires your power to aid him. If such a day comes, you may be given a trial to be forgiven for your crimes. Until that day comes, you are to tell nobody who you are. Speak to nobody, other than your pet. You will receive training once a week, supervised by guards so that you may be useful to King Il if need be. Do you understand these terms?”

The young boy wanted to cry. He had only done what he thought was right. Breaking laws had never been his intention. Still, he nodded his head.

“I’m letting you keep that sword with you. Do not make me regret it,” Yu-hon stated before leaving the shed and closing the door. He chained and locked the door, sighing to himself. Why do I get the feeling that I am locking away someone very important?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I tried to find a way to make Shin-ah a prisoner without having him locked away with all sorts of horrible people. I also set it up so that he could still live probably better than he had in his viilage. Let me know what you think.


	4. Happy Birthday

_**Yona**   
_

The young princess let out an exasperated whine of displeasure whenshe looked in the mirror. “None of these clothes are pretty enough for today,” she cried out, desperate to look her best. She disrobed and had her servants try again and again until she finally approved of a dress and hair piece. It had taken several hours, but she was finally ready to face the day.

She left her room and made her way out into the courtyard, holding her chin high. Her fingers absent mindedly twirled a piece of her long, red hair as she waited. She rocked back and forth, shifting her weight from her heels to toes then back again. “I hope he likes it,” Yona murmured, taking one final glance down at her dress.

“Are you talking to yourself again Princess?”

Yona spun around when she heard the familiar voice of her childhood friend. Her cheeks puffed out in anger as her embarrassment turned crimson on her face. Her dainty hands curled into fists at her sides and she marched up to him in a very unladylike manner. “Be quiet. I was only thinking out loud,” she retorted, trying to keep herself from being teased.

“Wondering if your precious Soo-Won will like the outfit you picked?” Hak asked, intent on embarrassing her further no matter what he had to do.

Yona stammered nervously, trying to muster up an excuse or lie but only found herself getting more and more flustered as each second passed by. She sucked in a sharp breath of air to finally answer him but was spared the embarrassment.

“Of course I like it. Yona always looks beautiful,” Soo-Won answered as he made his way over.

_Soo-Won. If you say such nice things so casually I’ll be embarrassed._

“Happy birthday, Soo-Won. Does it feel different to be ten?” the young princess asked, walking up to him. She flashed him the sweetest smile she could manage as she looked up at his cute face. Hak made his way over and crossed his arms over his chest. “Today we’ll test if you’ve been training or not. I have so be ready for the fight of your life,” Hak warned, his mouth pulling up in a sly grin.

The festivities began soon after the three were united again for the first time in several months. Yona watched her best friends train with swords from beside her father. The three enjoyed a large feast together complete with a huge birthday cake. The three spent the whole day laughing and having fun together during every event. After the music had died down, the food had been eaten, the games had all been won, and everyone had gone home Yona decided to take a walk in the moonlight to give herself one more happy memory of Soo-Won’s tenth birthday.

 

 

 

**_Seiryuu_ **

Nearly two years had passed since the seiryuu had been imprisoned at Hiryuu Castle. Only a handful of people had been told about his imprisonment and of those few only the king knew exactly who was locked away in that shack. A single servant came by to bring him his meals each day. She had been in charge of most of his care including sewing him new clothes, grooming him, and making sure he was never too warm or cold. He had always appreciated it when she snuck him sweet treats or an extra blanket. Even though he never spoke to her she always talked to him kindly and never did anything harsh like his villagers had. He only dealt with wo guards while he had been there. A younger man guarded him during the day. He often teased the child and would make fun of him, but the night guard always scolded him for it. The night guard was a kinder man. He always took the seiryuu to see new places in the castle as they walked to and from their weekly training session.

That day the seiryuu had listened to the music and laughter from across the palace as the celebration went on. He had desperately wanted to see what was going on, but he knew the guard would never let that happen. As night fell the guards switched like normal. The only man unlocked the shack and opened the wooden door. He walked in and gave the young boy a smile. “The old lady sent this with me. Grab your sword and we can stop by the garden you like for you to eat it,” he said, holding a plate that had some of the leftovers from the feast, cake included.

The boy nodded his head immediately and scrambled off of his bed. He retrieved his sword from beneath it and hurried out of the shack. He took in several deep breaths, the most content look on his face. He had always loved getting to enjoy fresh air. Ao scurried up onto his shoulder as he started to walk with his guard. He looked up at the sky and locked his gaze onto the moon. The moon had been his only light for almost two years so he loved to spend as much time as he could just staring at it his one night out a week. Though the night guard did let him out for just a few minutes every few days which gave him a little bit of time to see the moon and all of the twinkling stars around it.

Once they reached the garden the guard handed off the plate off food then rested his arm at his side. His eyes widened when he didn’t feel his sword. “Oi, I forgot my sword back at the barracks so just eat that then head over to the training grounds for me,” he said before jogging off. The guard knew he could leave the child lone without worry. The boy finished his meal then rose to his feet again. He carried the plate with him as he walked so that he could give it to the servant woman when she brought him his breakfast the next day. As he approached the training grounds his eyes fell on another child. He ducked behind a tree, worried that he would get in trouble if he was seen. After a moment he peeked out from behind it to watch the child.

_Such pretty red hair._

 

 

 

_**Yona** _

Yona’s walk had taken her to the old, unused training grounds on the far side of the palace. She had no intention of wasting that opportunity, so she picked up a spare sword off of a rack. She took several deep breaths then began to attack the straw dummies with it. For a small child she was surprisingly good at using a weapon but she still had a lot to learn. “I’ll make Abi super proud. Gu-en and Shu-ten too,” she mumbled as she darted around the training grounds. She switched to a bow and started to shoot at targets instead of using a sword.

The feeling of eyes on her back made her drop her bow and spin around. “Hello, is someone there?” she asked, rocking back and forth as she waited for an answer.

The young boy stepped out from behind the tree he had used as cover. He nervously scratched his arm as he looked down, keeping his gaze averted.

Yona gasped in surprise when she saw another child. She thought she was the only kid in the palace except for when Hak and Soo-Won came over. She ran right up to him with a big grin on her face. The boy raised his hands to cover his face as if she would hurt him. Instead, she grabbed his hands and smiled.

“Who are you?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. No answer came. “Can you speak?”

He nodded his head but shook it right after.

“So you can talk but you can’t talk?” She asked, wanting to figure out what he meant.

The boy fell to his knees and brought his hands up to his mask, pulling it off. He closed his eyes and placed his hands over them. Yona saw the pained expression on his face and gasped. “Are you okay?”

After a moment he looked up at her and nodded. When Yona saw his eyes she gasped and grabbed his face. “You look just like Abi. Are you the seiryuu?” she asked him with an excited tone.

He stared into her eyes in return. He had so many questions to ask her but his rule had been not to talk to anyone. He simply nodded his head. He pulled away from her hands and put his mask back on to cover his eyes.

“What’s your name? I’m Yona.”

After a few moments of silence he finally opened his mouth. “Don’t… have one. Just… Seiryuu,” he said. The long pauses between his words made it obvious that he was either uncomfortable or didn’t talk much.

“That is terrible. I know, I’ll give you a proper name then when someone asks you can tell them a real name,” she responded then furrowed her brows in thought. After a moment her eyes widened and she grinned cheerfully. “Sinha. Your name is Sinha because the moonlight is making you glow.”

“Sinha,” he repeated. _I have a name. She gave me a name._

“Do you come here a lot. When can I see you again?”

“Once… a week. I train…. here.”

Yona heard the footsteps of someone coming so she ducked behind a tree. The guard walked over to Sinha and held out his sword. “Ready Kid?” he asked. Sinha nodded his head and started to walk away from the tree.

“See you next week,” Yona whispered then snuck back to her bedroon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for my hiatus. I've been very busy and haven't had the time to write. I plan on getting back to this though on at least a once a week basis for updates. Please leave comments to let me know what you think. I had trouble with this chapter since they are all still kids but it will be getting better with the next update.


	5. Friendship Blooms

_**Yona**  
_

"Abi! Abi! I have awesome news," Yona called out as she ran through the usual clearing. She barreled forward, her frail legs working as hard as they could to carry her towad the original seiryuu. As usual, she saw him kneel down just in time for her to plow right into his chest. His warm, open armed greetings always made her incredibly happy. 

"What is your news, Princess? You seem very happy tonight," Abi pointed out. He ran his fingers throgh her red hair as he gazed into her purple eyes. 

Yona pulled away from his embrace and pointed to herself with her thumb. "I met the new seiryuu today! He's a kid just like me," she explained.

Abi's gentle face distorted into a sorrowful gaze. "Did he aeem well?" he asked, already knowing thw answer.  _Of course he is not well. He has been abused, lied to, and imprisoned._

Yona furrowed her brows in thought. "He seemed shy and kind of lonely. He told me he didn't have a name, so I gave him one. I namd him Sinha and I promised I would go see him in a week," she cheered.

Abi smiled at the young girl and patted her head. "That is good. He needs a friend so be good to him."

"Of course I will. I will be the best friend ever!"

Soon the others showed up and her training began. Gu-en and Abi trained her with a sword while Shu-ten focused on the bow. Yona trained late into the night and eventuall fell asleep against Hiryuu.

 

 

When the week passed by and night fell Yona snuck out of her bedroom. She ran from across the palace grounds, listening to the calming sound of leaves crunching beneath her feet. Sweat dripped down the side of her face and her breathing grew ragged.

_Just keep running. You promised._

Soon enough her eyes fell on the old training grounds. She watched as Sinha sparred with a guard in amazement. "He's so fast," she murmured in awe. Yona's eyes staye glued to the boy until they both inally took a break. She took off running at them again, waving both arms.

"Sinha! Sinha, I'm here," she called out. Yona ran right up to him and grabbed his hands. "You were so cool fighting with your sword!"

Sinha's cheeks lit up bright pink beneth his mask at the compliment. "Thank.... you."

The guard stomped over and grabbed Sinha by his arm, yanking him back with incredible force. "You can not touch the princess. Do not go anywhere near her again!" he yelled.

Sinha nodded his head and looked down, but Yona stomped over and hugged Sinha from the side. "Sinha is my friend! You will treat him nicely or I will tell my father!" She scolded. A fire burned deep in her eyes, making the guard release his hold on Sinha.

"U-Understood, Princess Yona," he responded, bowing his head to her in respect. 

Yona let out a triumphant cheer then let go of Sinha. She sat down and patted the ground in front of her. "I came just like I promised, and I'll come next week too. I'll come every week forever"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it is short, but I really just wanted to drive in the idea that Sinha will be growing up different because of Yona's actions. I hope this chapter did a good job of that. 
> 
> I would also like to get some opinions on what ship should take the main focus as they grow older. I'm stuck between Sinha, Kija, and Jaeha. As much as I love a good Hak/Yona ship I'm wanting to steer away from that in this fic. Coomments will be appreiated. Thanks for your support. <3
> 
> Update: So there have been a lot of votes for Soo-Won in this. I'll be adding him to the ships I will be considering. Now, I won't make any definite decisions but I'll definitely keep up with counting his votes. Thanks for all of the feedback.


	6. Growing Up

_**Yona** _

"Soo-Won! Hak! Get over here," Yona called out,, waving one of her arms as high up as she could to gain their attention. In her other hand she held a picnic basket full of treats. Sadly, it was heavy enough that she was clearly straining to keep ahold of it. 

"Man, you're so weak. You can't even hold a basket," Hak teased as he ran over.

"You bully, Hak. It is seriously heavy!" Yona retorted. She puffed out her cheeks and furrowed her brows as she tried harder to life the basket.

"Let me help you," Soo-Won insisted. He reached out and laid one of his hands on the handle of the basket. He pulled it away from Yona with a smile on his face.

"Th-th-thank ypu, Soo-Won," Yona stammered. She could feel heat rising to her cheeks so she started to skip away. "Let's eat in the garden,' she called back to them, afraid to turn around.  _Soo-Won is so strong and kind. Why does my face have to get so hot when he does sweet things for me?_

 

 

 

_**Hak** _

"She's too hyper," Hak complianed as he walked next to Soo-Won. 

"It's her birthday, Hak. She should be hyper," Soo-Won pointed out. 

"That's true I guess, but do you have to spoil her? She can carry her own stuff." Hak looked over at Soo-Won and saw his arm shaking from the weight of the basket. He reached over and snatched it away from Soo-Won. His eyes widened when he felt just how hwavy it was.

_Did they pack rocks for us to eat? No wonder the princess couldn't carry it. I can barely do it._ He glanced back over at his friend and furrowed his brows.  _And he acted like it was nothing. Why is he trying so hard to impress her?_

 

 

 

**_Yona_ **

As the three of them got to the garden Yona held her finger to her lips. A mischevious grin spread across her face. She looked around to make sure no guards were around before sitting down. Yoa pulled out three plates full of snacks and put them down on the bench beside her.

"We are having a secret metting," she told them both.

Both of the boys shot her confused looks. Hak dug into the snacks like a starving child while Soo-Won made sure to give Yona his undivided attention.

"What is the meeting about?" Soo-Won asked in a curious tone. 

"I have a secret, but I want to tell you. Meet me here tonight once everyone goes to sleep," she said.

"Tell us now," Hak insisted.

"Nope nope nope," Yona responded.

"Why not?" Soo-Won asked.

"Because it is a secret."

 

 

When night fell Yona pulled her shortsword out from underneath her bed. She changed into a pair of pants and a shirt then finished off with a cloak. She snuck out of her room like she did each week and made her way to the garden. Only ten minutes passed by before Hak and Soo-Won walked up together. She grinned mischeviously and grabbed their hands in hers. 

"Okay my secret is that I have a new friend. He's ten like both of you," Yona explained. "His name is Sinha," she added.

"You made us come out here in the cold so you could tell us you have a friend?" Hak asked. 

"I want us to all be friends," she explained then started to run. Both boys followed close behind.

When the training grounds came into view Yona stopped and held her finger to her lips. She pointed to the masked boy sparring with the guard. Both boys watched in awe.

"He's so good," Hak murmured.

Soo-Won suddenly realzed who the child was.  _That is the prisoner Father told me about before he died._ He opened his mouth to say something but gasped when he saw Yona unsheathe a sword. 

Yona ran forward and swung it at Sinha. Her blade clinked against his and he easily pushed her back. The two swung and dodged at one another for about five minutes before Yona fell over. She gasped for breath. "You win again, Sinha," she rasped.

He knelt down beside her. "You are getting better," he complimented.

Hak and Soo-Won both ran over to tthem and cheered.

"Dude, you're like totally awesome!" Hak shouted.

"And you were so cool, Yona," Soo-Won added.

Yona watched as Sinha nervously backed away. She got up and grabbed his hand. "It's okay. These are the friends I've been telling you about. And now they are you friends too," she explained.

He nodded his head and walked over to them both. The guard just huffed and walked off to avoid being scolded by the princess again.

"Hello, I'm Sinha."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to thank all of the people who gave me feedback on the last chapter. Knowing that so many people are enjoying this enough to take the time to comment really motivates me. I've made my decision on what ships I will have included in this now. Hopefully I won't disappoint anyone. And as usual, comments are always appreciated so let me know what you think on this chapter as well. This will also be my last chapter with everyone as kids.


	7. Hakuryuu's Suffering

**_Kija_ **

Kija shot up from a deep sleep when he heard his bedroom door slam into the wall. He looked into the open doorway with tired eyes, his vision still blurry. 

"Lord Hakuryuu, you must leave immediately!" one of the village elders exclaimed. Kija watched as the old man hastily packed together a bag of things he might need.

"What is happening?" he asked but soon found himself listening to the screams of villagers and the clashing of steel on steel. 

"Bandits broke through the scouts and are searching the village. You must escape. You have to live, Lord Hakuryuu," he said.

"No, I can fight. Let me save the village!" He insisted, quickly changing into his usual attire. 

"No, you are only fourteen. You must run away. Follow the stream through the wooods. Find somewhere safe to rest. Protect your identity," the elder demanded as he handed off the bag. "Now go!" He yelled.

Kija knew better than to argue. He tossed the bag over his shoulder and hurried out of him room. He made it outside and ran, knowing that if he looked back into the vilage he would be scarred forever. His feet slammed against the ground as he ran. Litlle by little the sounds of screaming faded until the only sounds remaining were his ragged breathing, his pounding heartbeat, and leaves crunching beneath his fett.

After what felt like hours Kija found a small cave. He ducked inside and collapsed only seconds later. He panted frantically and pulled his knees up to his chest. 

"What am I going to do? I wonder if anyone made it out," he muttered once he had caught his breath. Kija tried to stand up so that he could keep moving, but the exhaustion set in. Before he knew it he had fallen asleep.

 

 

The next morning Kija opened his eyes. He groaned in discomfort as he sat up. He felt a tickling on his arm so he looked down. When his eyes fell on the ladybug that had crawled onto him he let out a rather feminine shriek. He slung it off and scrambled to his feet. Kija barreled out of the cave.

_What am I going to do now?_

Kija set out and continued to follow the stream. Days passed by and Kija had hit the end of his supplies. He had never learned to hunt or start fires. He had no idea what plants were safe to eat and which ones would kill him. He had no idea where he was or where to go. He had tried to catch a fish to eat but only ended up very wet and even hungrier than before.

On his eleventh day of traveling he finally just sat down against a tree. "I'm sorry, Granny. I'm sorry. I just can't do it," he said, staring up at the sky.

"What can't you do?" A man with messy hair asked.

Kija instantly swung his claws for the man, knowing he needed to protect himself. Sadly, as he tried to stand he only managed to fall onto his stomach from lack of energy. 

"It will be okay, Hakuryuu. The gods have told me you need my help."

"Who are you?" Kija asked, trying to get up.

"My name is Ik-su and I'm going to help you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured that it was about time for me to show how Kija's character will be changing. Let me know what you think. Thanks for all of the support. <3


End file.
